Yamato, the Vampire Slayer
Like a TV Show.
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn't mine and I don't own Digimon either.
"Yamato, you simply aren't trying!" Ms Fuyutsuki shouted.
"I am trying!" Matt yelled back "I've been practising for hours and I'm tired! You try keeping stuff like this up for hours and see how well you do!"
The look Ms Fuyutsuki gave him would have caused most people to wither. Matt wasn't most people. He glared back at her, rather glad of the opportunity to get in a breather. He'd been training with Ms Fuyutsuki for over a month now and while he was making great progress, it wasn't enough for Ms Fuyutsuki.
"Yamato, you don't seem to understand that a Slayer can die unless she is as strong with her left side as her right!" she said.
"I do understand!" Matt said "You've only been making me practise left kicks and punches for the past two weeks!"
"Yamato, I won't stand this back-talk!" Ms Fuyutsuki said "If you don't stop being so insolent, I'll have you back here, practising with the quarter-staff for three hours each day for a week."
Matt shut up. He positively loathed the quarter-staff, which Ms Fuyutsuki knew all too well.
"Now," Ms Fuyutsuki said "You need to get that left kick right. I want it perfect by the time you have to go home."
"I should have gone home an hour ago," Matt said bitterly "I should have been at band practise, then gone home."
Ms Fuyutsuki chose to ignore this.
"Yamato..."
Matt sighed. Giving the punch-bag he was kicking a baleful look, he began to practise again.
* * * *
He walked home slowly, knowing that he was already incredibly late and thinking that being a bit later wasn't going to change things much. He was too tired to walk fast anyway. Ms Fuyutsuki insisted that, being a Slayer, soon trifling things like that wouldn't bother him in the least. Matt wasn't so sure. At that moment, he couldn't see himself ever not being exhausted. He was falling behind in his schoolwork because he never had time to do it (and kept having to cut classes to fit in all the training Ms Fuyutsuki wanted him to do). He never had time to practise his guitar and even if he did, his attendance at band practise was getting more and more patchy. He barely saw his friends anymore and he kept waking up in the middle of the night, muttering things about different fighting techniques and different demons. Trust Slayers to have to study.
Not that it wasn't interesting. The different types of demons were fascinating. But then Matt would remember that they were real which spoilt it. Out there somewhere, those demons explored the Earth, killing people.
Matt opened the door.
"Yamato Ishida, just what time do you call this?"
Matt looked at his watch.
"7:36," he said dully.
"And what time were you supposed to be home?"
"As soon as band practise ended."
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" his father shouted "I've been phoning everyone! And the band told me that you didn't even show up for practise!"
Matt swallowed.
"No," he said softly.
"Where the hell were you?"
Matt swallowed, struggling to think of a good lie.
"Just out."
"Just out!"
Matt winced. His father was really, really pissed off.
"I'm sorry," he said "I lost track of time!"
"Who were you with?"
"No one."
His father looked at him. Matt swallowed.
"I am really sorry Dad."
"Go to your room," his father ordered "I'll make us something to eat. You can start your homework. And Matt?"
"Yes?"
"You're grounded."
* * * *
On the second day of his grounding, Ms Fuyutsuki caught up with him after gym. She knocked on the door of the boys changing rooms.
"Yamato Ishida? Come out here please."
"Oh shit!" Matt hissed "Tai! Say I've already gone!"
Everyone looked up curiously. Tai raised an eyebrow.
"Yamato!"
"Tai!" Matt hissed agonisedly "I'm not here!"
"He's here!" someone yelled "He'll be coming right out!"
Matt threw a shoe at the boys head. Squirming into his clothes, he gloomily went out for the bollocking that he knew he was about to receive.
Ms Fuyutsuki was looking distinctly pissed off. Matt gulped.
"Hi," he said.
"Where precisely have you been?" Ms Fuyutsuki enquired.
"Grounded," Matt said flatly.
"Yamato Ishida, you are the Slayer. You cannot allow being grounded to interfere with your sacred duty!"
"Well what do you suggest?" Matt snapped "God, this is all simple to you isn't it? You just see it all as 'a sacred duty'. I have a life! And if I want to have one beyond school, then I need to get good grades so I can have a career!"
Ms Fuyutsuki swallowed.
"Yamato," she said "Matt...I think there's something..."
"What?" Matt said.
Ms Fuyutsuki sighed.
"Nothing," she said "Yamato, I'm expecting to see you at my apartment for training at 1:30 tomorrow."
"But school..."
"Forget school."
She strode off leaving Matt staring after her in frustration.
* * * *
"So who was the lady?" Tai asked.
He was walking Matt home since he could only see him in school now.
"The lady?" Matt said nervously.
"After gym?" Tai said, grinning at his friend.
Matt shrugged.
"Nobody," he said "I mean...she's a friend of Gendo's. You know, from the band. She wanted to arrange something...needed my help."
He knew that it was a lame excuse but he couldn't think of a better one. He knew that he couldn't tell Tai the truth but Tai wouldn't give up without some sort of answer. Tai was like that. Stubborn as a mule and completely hot-headed. Matt was more inclined to think about things but he was equally as stubborn. This had led to lots of fights when they'd worked together to save the Digital World.
"So she interrupted you after gym?" Tai said, looking sceptical.
Matt shrugged.
"She's a friend of Gendo's," he said pointedly.
"Good point!"
Matt grinned. Having a band who Tai knew was insane could be pretty useful.
"Matt, what's going on?"
Matt blinked. Tai was looking at him.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked, his heart sinking.
"What's wrong with you?" Tai said "You've been cutting class, you've been skipping band practises, you're never around when I call you. What's up?"
"Nothing," Matt said.
Tai flushed angrily.
"What do you mean nothing?" he yelled "This has been going on for a month now! If I do manage to arrange a date with you, you always cancel!"
"Date?" Matt said.
Tai's flush darkened.
"Not that sort of date!" he snapped "God Matt, stop trying to distract me!"
Matt sighed, trying to ignore the flicker of disappointment. He always vaguely hoped that Tai saw him as more than a friend.
"Tai, nothing's going on," he said "Really."
"Damn it Matt, stop lying to me!" Tai yelled.
"I'm not lying!" Matt said. Realising that this wouldn't cut it, he shrugged and turned away "Tai, it's nothing that you could ever understand."
The next second, Tai had grabbed him and punched him in the face. Matt instinctively fought back, lashing out violently and bringing his leg up for a kick. Before he did, he suddenly remembered who he was fighting.
"God Tai, I'm so sorry!"
He dropped to his knees beside his friend, frantically helping Tai into a sitting position, supporting him with his arms. Tai was looking confused and blood was dripping steadily from his nose.
"Tai, are you okay? Say something!"
"I'm okay," Tai said "Just in some pain. That was some punch!"
Matt grinned weakly.
"Come on," he said, helping Tai up "Let's get you home."
* * * *
The next day Matt did his cut-school practise without complaint but without any energy either. Ms Fuyutsuki watched him silently.
"You're not trying," she said at last.
"Maybe I'm sick of trying!" Matt yelled, throwing the stake he was using for practise jabs to the ground "Maybe I don't care anymore!"
Ms Fuyutsuki frowned.
"What's the matter?" she enquired.
Matt turned away and looked at the punch bag.
"I had a fight with Tai," he said.
"Tai?"
"He's my friend. My best friend. We...he wanted to know what was going on. I...he knew that I was lying to him and he hit me. I guess I just...hit back."
"How badly hurt was he?"
"I broke his nose. He had to go to hospital, get it checked out."
Ms Fuyutsuki nodded.
"Was he very angry?"
"Not really. He hit me first. He was just surprised that I had the strength."
Matt hit the punch bag angrily.
"I just hate lying!" he exploded "Okay, I've lied before but this is different! When can I stop lying to him?"
Ms Fuyutsuki said nothing.
"Aren't you going to answer me?" Matt said.
"I told you," Ms Fuyutsuki said "The next Slayer only comes when the current Slayer dies."
Matt started kicking the punch bag with a violent strength that he hadn't used before. Ms Fuyutsuki watched.
"What am I supposed to do?" Matt demanded "This is my life! My life just going down the plughole! I don't want to be thirty years old and have nothing except the ability to jab stakes into creatures!"
"Yamato..."
"No!" Matt yelled "Don't you 'Yamato' me! We're discussing my future here! My life, my future! And all you do is try to fob me off!"
Ms Fuyutsuki remained silent. She knew that trying to talk to Matt was useless at that moment.
"It's not fair!" Matt yelled "Why do I always get chosen for everything? Why me? All I ever wanted to do was be normal with a nuclear family and a bunch of friends! I never asked for my parents to split up and to be picked for a Digidestined and to be the one 'Chosen One'! I never asked for any of it!"
The chain holding the punch bag up broke and Matt dropped to his knees as it fell, sobbing bitterly. Ms Fuyutsuki watched.
"Digidestined?" she asked eventually.
"It's a long story," Matt said.
Ms Fuyutsuki sat down and waited. Eventually, Matt began.
"Seven years ago, I, my brother and a group of kids saw these strange monsters fighting late at night," he said "We all forgot about it afterward. Some sort of memory repression I think. But that's what happened. Four years on, we all went to the same summer camp. There were freak weather conditions all over the world and at our summer camp, it started snowing. We got separated and sheltered in a cabin. After the snow storm, seven strange devices fell from the sky. Digivices. We were then sucked into another world; the Digital World. It's entirely populated by Digimon, Digital Monsters. We each got our own special one, a Digital Companion. We'd been summoned because the balance of darkness and light was thrown. We managed to defeat the evil and went home. But this year, the balance went out again. A group of new Digidestined - plus my little brother and Kari - were called. They've recently defeated that enemy but..."
His voice broke off. Then he continued.
"We're still the Digidestined. We always will be. And now I've been chosen for this too. It's just not fair!"
"Destiny doesn't ask our opinion when she picks us," Ms Fuyutsuki said quietly "She doesn't care if we mind or not. She picks us for reasons that we can only guess at and expects us to get on with it once she has. And once we're chosen, we have to muddle though as best we can. There's never a choice about it."
Matt said nothing for a moment.
"You're right," he said at last, very quietly "You're right."
Slowly, he scrambled to his feet. Ms Fuyutsuki knew that she'd won the battle...for a time. She knew that eventually, Matt would fight against his destiny again. But at least for now, Matt was settled, was reconciled to his fate.
"Take the rest of the day off," she suggested "Go home, make it up with your father. Get ungrounded. Tomorrow night, I want you to start patrolling."
Matt gave her a small smile and left. Ms Fuyutsuki sighed and sat down to write in her Watcher's Diary about Matt's progress.
* * * *
After Matt's first (very dull) patrol, he was walking home when he realised that he was being followed. He wasn't sure what gave him that impression at first but he knew that he was. He crossed the road sideways, glancing behind him as he did. He could see a man following him. Matt wasn't sure if he was a vampire or not but he wasn't going to take the risk. He speeded up his walk, then turned off down a side-alley. Glancing around, he quickly stepped back behind a bin. The man walked round the corner and stopped. Then he walked further into the alley, looking around. Matt sprang forwards, kicking him squarely in the chest. The man went down and Matt kept his foot on his chest, keeping him down. The man grinned up at him, completely unabashed.
"Is there a problem sir?" he asked.
"Yeah there's a problem!" Matt snapped "Why are you following me?"
"It's okay," the man said "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite."
Matt slowly let him up. So this man knew who he was.
"What do you want?" he asked, keeping in attack position.
"A lot of things," the man said "Most of which I'll never have."
Great. A cryptic wise guy. Matt took another look. An incredibly cute cryptic wise guy. Cute didn't really cover it. This guy was gorgeous. He was almost as good as Tai or Ken. He was tall and dark with his hair in a hairstyle nearly as strange as Tai's. He had muscles in all the right places but there was something in his eyes that made Matt feel as though you could tell him all your problems and he'd understand because he'd been through them all himself.
Matt realised that he was gaping and quickly stopped himself, feeling a flash of annoyance that this stranger had affected in that way.
"Why were you following me?" he snapped.
The man smiled. If he'd notice Matt's stare, he didn't show it.
"Sizing you up," he said "You are the only thing standing between mankind and destruction after all. I thought I'd better come along and see if you were any good."
"And?" Matt said.
The man looked considering.
"You're not very big," he said "Or muscly. But you're strong. I think you'll probably do."
"Oh thank you so much," Matt said sarcastically "Your approval means a lot to me. Really."
The man smiled again, looking very amused. Matt felt another stab of irritation.
"Who are you?" he demanded angrily.
The man turned and began to walk away.
"I asked you a question!" Matt snapped.
"Let's just say...I'm a friend," the man said thoughtfully.
"Maybe I don't want a friend," Matt said.
The man turned and looked at him. His mouth quirked up in a half smile.
"I didn't say I was yours," he said softly.
Then he vanished into the shadows leaving Matt feeling confused and slightly ill-at-ease.
* * * *
Angel headed back to the hotel that he and Spike were staying at, frowning to himself.
He was aware of how his meeting with Matt had mirrored his first proper meeting with Buffy. He was also aware that the boy had liked what he'd seen, even if he'd tried to hide it by showing off the greatest attitude problem since Spike.
Angel had to grin. Matt was incredibly similar to Spike. They even looked something alike with blonde hair and very deep blue eyes. Spike was less feminine though. But they both had the same attitude problem.
Angel sighed. He was rather regretting letting Spike talk him into coming here. Giles had been told about the new Slayer and Spike had instantly requested to Angel that they went to see the new Slayer, maybe help her. Angel had been reluctant but he'd wanted something new to do instead of mope around about Buffy. Also, he'd been fairly certain that it would stop Spike moping around about Buffy too. So they'd come to Japan and been watching the new Slayer since, including spying on him in training sessions with the Watcher, him at home and him coming out of school. Angel couldn't help feeling incredibly sorry for him. He wasn't sure how Spike felt but Spike kept making jokes about the boy being incredibly cute. Trust Spike.
Angel ran his hands though his hair and then rummaged in his pockets for his keys. The Slayer knew about his presence now. Maybe he'd sense him more. Maybe he and Spike could help. Or maybe they'd get kicked out.
Only time would tell.
* * * *
Two weeks later, Matt was patrolling every night. He didn't like it. It left him tireder than ever. His school work was seriously suffering and soon they'd be writing letters home about him. That would not go down well. The band was practically a done thing. He hadn't seen them for ages. Just thinking about it made him want to cry. He hated the idea of losing his band. He loved the band, they were really special to him, all of them. And he'd barely seen any of his friends either. He was either training, patrolling or trying to get through his homework. It wasn't fun.
Matt sighed and slumped down by a gravestone. He knew that this person was going to rise that night. What fun, another person to slay.
"Ruddy people," Matt mumbled "Getting bitten by stupid vampires..."
His eyelids drooped shut and in a moment, Matt was fast asleep. He didn't hear the sound of the earth moving as the vampire pushed it's way up or the soft growl of the vampire as it spotted him leaning against the gravestone. In fact he only woken up when the vampire pushed his head on one side to drink.
"AHHH!"
Matt lashed out and rolled away, the vampire following. Cursing himself for being an utter idiot, Matt sprang to his feet, looking around frantically for his stake. To his annoyance, he saw it lying several feet away, completely beyond his reach. He also noticed that he was surrounded by six vampires, plus the rookie.
"Oh..." he said slowly "Um, I guess you guys were really looking forward to meeting your new friend huh?"
The vampires were beginning to close in. Matt gulped. He wasn't sure that he could fight seven vampires all at the same time, even if one of them was only a newbie.
Well, it was either fight or die. Matt gritted his teeth and began edging round so he could throw himself at the stake. The vampires all lunged at the same moment, just as Matt dived for his stake. He managed to grab it, kicking and struggling. He managed to stake one almost immediately, then frantically struggled with the others.
He knew he was dead. There was no way that he could fight six vampires at once. He began fighting with all his might but he knew that it was hopeless. The vampires were effectively holding him down as one went for his neck.
Then he felt that vampires being pulled away. Blinking, he saw the dark haired man he'd met in the alley. He was fighting them fiercely, helped by another man with platinum blonde hair. For a second, Matt just stared. Then he went back to the battle.
With two people helping, it was over quickly. The vampires were dusted with the three of them standing there. Matt swayed slightly, the realisation of his close call suddenly catching up with him. The dark haired man grabbed him.
"Steady," he said "You were a little careless weren't you?"
"I fell asleep," Matt said.
"Well that's a good way to get yourself killed," the platinum blonde man said sarcastically.
Matt glared at him angrily. He knew that he'd been stupid but he was tired.
"You'd fall asleep if you hadn't a decent nights sleep for more than a month!" he snapped "If you were trying to do two different sets of homework! If you were..."
"Easy, both of you!" the dark haired man said "You need to go home."
"I haven't finished patrol," Matt said, his heart sinking at the idea of walking through the rest of the dark graveyard.
"Rubbish! Close calls get you time off," the man said briskly.
"Who are you both?" Matt asked, wondering how they knew it all.
"I'm Angel," the man said softly "He's Spike."
"Angel and Spike," Matt repeated "Sounds like a TV show."
Spike started snickering hysterically at this. Angel gave him a killer glare.
"Thanks," he said "Will you be okay walking home alone?"
Matt nodded.
"Fine."
He fainted.
* * * *
"He's supposed to be a Slayer," Spike said in disgust "And look at him!"
Angel looked at the boy in his arms.
"I think he looks like you."
Spike gave a furious splutter and was quite overcome for the next few minutes.
"He's new," Angel said quietly, ignoring Spike's squeaks "That was the first time that he came close to getting killed. And I think he's done pretty well. Most Slayers are still in the denial stage at this point. He's accepted really quickly. You can't blame him for being a little stressed. And he's utterly exhausted."
Spike had recovered by this time. He gave Angel an impish grin.
"Fancy him do you?"
"Spike," Angel said warningly. Spike giggled.
"He's not bad looking," he said "He doesn't look like me but we've got the same eyes. And the hair is quite good."
Angel rolled his eyes.
"I don't fancy him," he said bluntly "He's only 16."
"So was Buffy when you started going out with her."
"Thank you Spike."
Spike shrugged and looked at Matt. The boy's eyes flickered open and he stared back.
"What happened?"
"You fainted," Spike said cheerfully.
"Oh."
Matt seemed quite happy to remain snuggled in Angel's arms, something that Spike gleefully pointed out later. But Matt suddenly noticed something and frowned.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To your home of course," Angel said.
"But how do you know where I live?"
The two vampires exchanged grimacing looks.
"I lurk," Angel said.
Matt seemed to accept this. To Angel's surprise (and slight embarrassment) he leaned against Angel and went back to sleep.
"Fancies you like anything..." Spike said in a sing-song voice.
Angel kicked him. Spike had to hop the rest of the way, making wildly exaggerated faces of pain. Angel gently shook Matt.
"Matt? Can we come in?"
"Huh? Sure," Matt yawned.
They used the window. Angel knew that Matt was too dozy to even notice how they'd got in and he probably wouldn't wonder in the morning. Angel noticed Spike's gestures and shook his head.
"If you don't change him, he'll wonder why even more!" Spike hissed "It's the done thing if you're the same sex as someone! If you're embarrassed because you fancy him of course..."
He had to sit down when Angel kicked his other leg. Angel slipped Matt down to his boxers and tucked him in. Matt didn't even wake up.
"We have to talk to that Watcher," Angel said "He needs working hard but when he's this tired - Spike, put that down!"
Spike looked up, Matt's diary in his hands.
"Listen to this!" he said gleefully and began to read "I can't get that weird cryptic guy out of my head. He's worse than Gennai, at least Gennai wasn't drop-dead gorgeous!"
"Spike!" Angel hissed. Spike (in his normal manner) ignored Angel completely.
"Seriously though, that guy really has something. If Istu saw him, he'd probably forsake me and take him on instead! I was dreaming about him last night - the drop-dead gorgeous cryptic guy, not Istu."
"William the Bloody, put that down this second!" Angel snarled.
Spike grinned.
"Don't you want to know what he was dreaming?"
"No!"
Spike's eyes were flickering over the page.
"Oooh!" he said "Threesome!"
Angel snatched the diary away from Spike and shoved it back under the bed where Spike had got it from.
"We are going!" he hissed.
Spike was still giggling as he bodily dragged him out of the window.
End of Part 2.
Like a TV Show.
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn't mine and I don't own Digimon either.
"Yamato, you simply aren't trying!" Ms Fuyutsuki shouted.
"I am trying!" Matt yelled back "I've been practising for hours and I'm tired! You try keeping stuff like this up for hours and see how well you do!"
The look Ms Fuyutsuki gave him would have caused most people to wither. Matt wasn't most people. He glared back at her, rather glad of the opportunity to get in a breather. He'd been training with Ms Fuyutsuki for over a month now and while he was making great progress, it wasn't enough for Ms Fuyutsuki.
"Yamato, you don't seem to understand that a Slayer can die unless she is as strong with her left side as her right!" she said.
"I do understand!" Matt said "You've only been making me practise left kicks and punches for the past two weeks!"
"Yamato, I won't stand this back-talk!" Ms Fuyutsuki said "If you don't stop being so insolent, I'll have you back here, practising with the quarter-staff for three hours each day for a week."
Matt shut up. He positively loathed the quarter-staff, which Ms Fuyutsuki knew all too well.
"Now," Ms Fuyutsuki said "You need to get that left kick right. I want it perfect by the time you have to go home."
"I should have gone home an hour ago," Matt said bitterly "I should have been at band practise, then gone home."
Ms Fuyutsuki chose to ignore this.
"Yamato..."
Matt sighed. Giving the punch-bag he was kicking a baleful look, he began to practise again.
* * * *
He walked home slowly, knowing that he was already incredibly late and thinking that being a bit later wasn't going to change things much. He was too tired to walk fast anyway. Ms Fuyutsuki insisted that, being a Slayer, soon trifling things like that wouldn't bother him in the least. Matt wasn't so sure. At that moment, he couldn't see himself ever not being exhausted. He was falling behind in his schoolwork because he never had time to do it (and kept having to cut classes to fit in all the training Ms Fuyutsuki wanted him to do). He never had time to practise his guitar and even if he did, his attendance at band practise was getting more and more patchy. He barely saw his friends anymore and he kept waking up in the middle of the night, muttering things about different fighting techniques and different demons. Trust Slayers to have to study.
Not that it wasn't interesting. The different types of demons were fascinating. But then Matt would remember that they were real which spoilt it. Out there somewhere, those demons explored the Earth, killing people.
Matt opened the door.
"Yamato Ishida, just what time do you call this?"
Matt looked at his watch.
"7:36," he said dully.
"And what time were you supposed to be home?"
"As soon as band practise ended."
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" his father shouted "I've been phoning everyone! And the band told me that you didn't even show up for practise!"
Matt swallowed.
"No," he said softly.
"Where the hell were you?"
Matt swallowed, struggling to think of a good lie.
"Just out."
"Just out!"
Matt winced. His father was really, really pissed off.
"I'm sorry," he said "I lost track of time!"
"Who were you with?"
"No one."
His father looked at him. Matt swallowed.
"I am really sorry Dad."
"Go to your room," his father ordered "I'll make us something to eat. You can start your homework. And Matt?"
"Yes?"
"You're grounded."
* * * *
On the second day of his grounding, Ms Fuyutsuki caught up with him after gym. She knocked on the door of the boys changing rooms.
"Yamato Ishida? Come out here please."
"Oh shit!" Matt hissed "Tai! Say I've already gone!"
Everyone looked up curiously. Tai raised an eyebrow.
"Yamato!"
"Tai!" Matt hissed agonisedly "I'm not here!"
"He's here!" someone yelled "He'll be coming right out!"
Matt threw a shoe at the boys head. Squirming into his clothes, he gloomily went out for the bollocking that he knew he was about to receive.
Ms Fuyutsuki was looking distinctly pissed off. Matt gulped.
"Hi," he said.
"Where precisely have you been?" Ms Fuyutsuki enquired.
"Grounded," Matt said flatly.
"Yamato Ishida, you are the Slayer. You cannot allow being grounded to interfere with your sacred duty!"
"Well what do you suggest?" Matt snapped "God, this is all simple to you isn't it? You just see it all as 'a sacred duty'. I have a life! And if I want to have one beyond school, then I need to get good grades so I can have a career!"
Ms Fuyutsuki swallowed.
"Yamato," she said "Matt...I think there's something..."
"What?" Matt said.
Ms Fuyutsuki sighed.
"Nothing," she said "Yamato, I'm expecting to see you at my apartment for training at 1:30 tomorrow."
"But school..."
"Forget school."
She strode off leaving Matt staring after her in frustration.
* * * *
"So who was the lady?" Tai asked.
He was walking Matt home since he could only see him in school now.
"The lady?" Matt said nervously.
"After gym?" Tai said, grinning at his friend.
Matt shrugged.
"Nobody," he said "I mean...she's a friend of Gendo's. You know, from the band. She wanted to arrange something...needed my help."
He knew that it was a lame excuse but he couldn't think of a better one. He knew that he couldn't tell Tai the truth but Tai wouldn't give up without some sort of answer. Tai was like that. Stubborn as a mule and completely hot-headed. Matt was more inclined to think about things but he was equally as stubborn. This had led to lots of fights when they'd worked together to save the Digital World.
"So she interrupted you after gym?" Tai said, looking sceptical.
Matt shrugged.
"She's a friend of Gendo's," he said pointedly.
"Good point!"
Matt grinned. Having a band who Tai knew was insane could be pretty useful.
"Matt, what's going on?"
Matt blinked. Tai was looking at him.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked, his heart sinking.
"What's wrong with you?" Tai said "You've been cutting class, you've been skipping band practises, you're never around when I call you. What's up?"
"Nothing," Matt said.
Tai flushed angrily.
"What do you mean nothing?" he yelled "This has been going on for a month now! If I do manage to arrange a date with you, you always cancel!"
"Date?" Matt said.
Tai's flush darkened.
"Not that sort of date!" he snapped "God Matt, stop trying to distract me!"
Matt sighed, trying to ignore the flicker of disappointment. He always vaguely hoped that Tai saw him as more than a friend.
"Tai, nothing's going on," he said "Really."
"Damn it Matt, stop lying to me!" Tai yelled.
"I'm not lying!" Matt said. Realising that this wouldn't cut it, he shrugged and turned away "Tai, it's nothing that you could ever understand."
The next second, Tai had grabbed him and punched him in the face. Matt instinctively fought back, lashing out violently and bringing his leg up for a kick. Before he did, he suddenly remembered who he was fighting.
"God Tai, I'm so sorry!"
He dropped to his knees beside his friend, frantically helping Tai into a sitting position, supporting him with his arms. Tai was looking confused and blood was dripping steadily from his nose.
"Tai, are you okay? Say something!"
"I'm okay," Tai said "Just in some pain. That was some punch!"
Matt grinned weakly.
"Come on," he said, helping Tai up "Let's get you home."
* * * *
The next day Matt did his cut-school practise without complaint but without any energy either. Ms Fuyutsuki watched him silently.
"You're not trying," she said at last.
"Maybe I'm sick of trying!" Matt yelled, throwing the stake he was using for practise jabs to the ground "Maybe I don't care anymore!"
Ms Fuyutsuki frowned.
"What's the matter?" she enquired.
Matt turned away and looked at the punch bag.
"I had a fight with Tai," he said.
"Tai?"
"He's my friend. My best friend. We...he wanted to know what was going on. I...he knew that I was lying to him and he hit me. I guess I just...hit back."
"How badly hurt was he?"
"I broke his nose. He had to go to hospital, get it checked out."
Ms Fuyutsuki nodded.
"Was he very angry?"
"Not really. He hit me first. He was just surprised that I had the strength."
Matt hit the punch bag angrily.
"I just hate lying!" he exploded "Okay, I've lied before but this is different! When can I stop lying to him?"
Ms Fuyutsuki said nothing.
"Aren't you going to answer me?" Matt said.
"I told you," Ms Fuyutsuki said "The next Slayer only comes when the current Slayer dies."
Matt started kicking the punch bag with a violent strength that he hadn't used before. Ms Fuyutsuki watched.
"What am I supposed to do?" Matt demanded "This is my life! My life just going down the plughole! I don't want to be thirty years old and have nothing except the ability to jab stakes into creatures!"
"Yamato..."
"No!" Matt yelled "Don't you 'Yamato' me! We're discussing my future here! My life, my future! And all you do is try to fob me off!"
Ms Fuyutsuki remained silent. She knew that trying to talk to Matt was useless at that moment.
"It's not fair!" Matt yelled "Why do I always get chosen for everything? Why me? All I ever wanted to do was be normal with a nuclear family and a bunch of friends! I never asked for my parents to split up and to be picked for a Digidestined and to be the one 'Chosen One'! I never asked for any of it!"
The chain holding the punch bag up broke and Matt dropped to his knees as it fell, sobbing bitterly. Ms Fuyutsuki watched.
"Digidestined?" she asked eventually.
"It's a long story," Matt said.
Ms Fuyutsuki sat down and waited. Eventually, Matt began.
"Seven years ago, I, my brother and a group of kids saw these strange monsters fighting late at night," he said "We all forgot about it afterward. Some sort of memory repression I think. But that's what happened. Four years on, we all went to the same summer camp. There were freak weather conditions all over the world and at our summer camp, it started snowing. We got separated and sheltered in a cabin. After the snow storm, seven strange devices fell from the sky. Digivices. We were then sucked into another world; the Digital World. It's entirely populated by Digimon, Digital Monsters. We each got our own special one, a Digital Companion. We'd been summoned because the balance of darkness and light was thrown. We managed to defeat the evil and went home. But this year, the balance went out again. A group of new Digidestined - plus my little brother and Kari - were called. They've recently defeated that enemy but..."
His voice broke off. Then he continued.
"We're still the Digidestined. We always will be. And now I've been chosen for this too. It's just not fair!"
"Destiny doesn't ask our opinion when she picks us," Ms Fuyutsuki said quietly "She doesn't care if we mind or not. She picks us for reasons that we can only guess at and expects us to get on with it once she has. And once we're chosen, we have to muddle though as best we can. There's never a choice about it."
Matt said nothing for a moment.
"You're right," he said at last, very quietly "You're right."
Slowly, he scrambled to his feet. Ms Fuyutsuki knew that she'd won the battle...for a time. She knew that eventually, Matt would fight against his destiny again. But at least for now, Matt was settled, was reconciled to his fate.
"Take the rest of the day off," she suggested "Go home, make it up with your father. Get ungrounded. Tomorrow night, I want you to start patrolling."
Matt gave her a small smile and left. Ms Fuyutsuki sighed and sat down to write in her Watcher's Diary about Matt's progress.
* * * *
After Matt's first (very dull) patrol, he was walking home when he realised that he was being followed. He wasn't sure what gave him that impression at first but he knew that he was. He crossed the road sideways, glancing behind him as he did. He could see a man following him. Matt wasn't sure if he was a vampire or not but he wasn't going to take the risk. He speeded up his walk, then turned off down a side-alley. Glancing around, he quickly stepped back behind a bin. The man walked round the corner and stopped. Then he walked further into the alley, looking around. Matt sprang forwards, kicking him squarely in the chest. The man went down and Matt kept his foot on his chest, keeping him down. The man grinned up at him, completely unabashed.
"Is there a problem sir?" he asked.
"Yeah there's a problem!" Matt snapped "Why are you following me?"
"It's okay," the man said "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite."
Matt slowly let him up. So this man knew who he was.
"What do you want?" he asked, keeping in attack position.
"A lot of things," the man said "Most of which I'll never have."
Great. A cryptic wise guy. Matt took another look. An incredibly cute cryptic wise guy. Cute didn't really cover it. This guy was gorgeous. He was almost as good as Tai or Ken. He was tall and dark with his hair in a hairstyle nearly as strange as Tai's. He had muscles in all the right places but there was something in his eyes that made Matt feel as though you could tell him all your problems and he'd understand because he'd been through them all himself.
Matt realised that he was gaping and quickly stopped himself, feeling a flash of annoyance that this stranger had affected in that way.
"Why were you following me?" he snapped.
The man smiled. If he'd notice Matt's stare, he didn't show it.
"Sizing you up," he said "You are the only thing standing between mankind and destruction after all. I thought I'd better come along and see if you were any good."
"And?" Matt said.
The man looked considering.
"You're not very big," he said "Or muscly. But you're strong. I think you'll probably do."
"Oh thank you so much," Matt said sarcastically "Your approval means a lot to me. Really."
The man smiled again, looking very amused. Matt felt another stab of irritation.
"Who are you?" he demanded angrily.
The man turned and began to walk away.
"I asked you a question!" Matt snapped.
"Let's just say...I'm a friend," the man said thoughtfully.
"Maybe I don't want a friend," Matt said.
The man turned and looked at him. His mouth quirked up in a half smile.
"I didn't say I was yours," he said softly.
Then he vanished into the shadows leaving Matt feeling confused and slightly ill-at-ease.
* * * *
Angel headed back to the hotel that he and Spike were staying at, frowning to himself.
He was aware of how his meeting with Matt had mirrored his first proper meeting with Buffy. He was also aware that the boy had liked what he'd seen, even if he'd tried to hide it by showing off the greatest attitude problem since Spike.
Angel had to grin. Matt was incredibly similar to Spike. They even looked something alike with blonde hair and very deep blue eyes. Spike was less feminine though. But they both had the same attitude problem.
Angel sighed. He was rather regretting letting Spike talk him into coming here. Giles had been told about the new Slayer and Spike had instantly requested to Angel that they went to see the new Slayer, maybe help her. Angel had been reluctant but he'd wanted something new to do instead of mope around about Buffy. Also, he'd been fairly certain that it would stop Spike moping around about Buffy too. So they'd come to Japan and been watching the new Slayer since, including spying on him in training sessions with the Watcher, him at home and him coming out of school. Angel couldn't help feeling incredibly sorry for him. He wasn't sure how Spike felt but Spike kept making jokes about the boy being incredibly cute. Trust Spike.
Angel ran his hands though his hair and then rummaged in his pockets for his keys. The Slayer knew about his presence now. Maybe he'd sense him more. Maybe he and Spike could help. Or maybe they'd get kicked out.
Only time would tell.
* * * *
Two weeks later, Matt was patrolling every night. He didn't like it. It left him tireder than ever. His school work was seriously suffering and soon they'd be writing letters home about him. That would not go down well. The band was practically a done thing. He hadn't seen them for ages. Just thinking about it made him want to cry. He hated the idea of losing his band. He loved the band, they were really special to him, all of them. And he'd barely seen any of his friends either. He was either training, patrolling or trying to get through his homework. It wasn't fun.
Matt sighed and slumped down by a gravestone. He knew that this person was going to rise that night. What fun, another person to slay.
"Ruddy people," Matt mumbled "Getting bitten by stupid vampires..."
His eyelids drooped shut and in a moment, Matt was fast asleep. He didn't hear the sound of the earth moving as the vampire pushed it's way up or the soft growl of the vampire as it spotted him leaning against the gravestone. In fact he only woken up when the vampire pushed his head on one side to drink.
"AHHH!"
Matt lashed out and rolled away, the vampire following. Cursing himself for being an utter idiot, Matt sprang to his feet, looking around frantically for his stake. To his annoyance, he saw it lying several feet away, completely beyond his reach. He also noticed that he was surrounded by six vampires, plus the rookie.
"Oh..." he said slowly "Um, I guess you guys were really looking forward to meeting your new friend huh?"
The vampires were beginning to close in. Matt gulped. He wasn't sure that he could fight seven vampires all at the same time, even if one of them was only a newbie.
Well, it was either fight or die. Matt gritted his teeth and began edging round so he could throw himself at the stake. The vampires all lunged at the same moment, just as Matt dived for his stake. He managed to grab it, kicking and struggling. He managed to stake one almost immediately, then frantically struggled with the others.
He knew he was dead. There was no way that he could fight six vampires at once. He began fighting with all his might but he knew that it was hopeless. The vampires were effectively holding him down as one went for his neck.
Then he felt that vampires being pulled away. Blinking, he saw the dark haired man he'd met in the alley. He was fighting them fiercely, helped by another man with platinum blonde hair. For a second, Matt just stared. Then he went back to the battle.
With two people helping, it was over quickly. The vampires were dusted with the three of them standing there. Matt swayed slightly, the realisation of his close call suddenly catching up with him. The dark haired man grabbed him.
"Steady," he said "You were a little careless weren't you?"
"I fell asleep," Matt said.
"Well that's a good way to get yourself killed," the platinum blonde man said sarcastically.
Matt glared at him angrily. He knew that he'd been stupid but he was tired.
"You'd fall asleep if you hadn't a decent nights sleep for more than a month!" he snapped "If you were trying to do two different sets of homework! If you were..."
"Easy, both of you!" the dark haired man said "You need to go home."
"I haven't finished patrol," Matt said, his heart sinking at the idea of walking through the rest of the dark graveyard.
"Rubbish! Close calls get you time off," the man said briskly.
"Who are you both?" Matt asked, wondering how they knew it all.
"I'm Angel," the man said softly "He's Spike."
"Angel and Spike," Matt repeated "Sounds like a TV show."
Spike started snickering hysterically at this. Angel gave him a killer glare.
"Thanks," he said "Will you be okay walking home alone?"
Matt nodded.
"Fine."
He fainted.
* * * *
"He's supposed to be a Slayer," Spike said in disgust "And look at him!"
Angel looked at the boy in his arms.
"I think he looks like you."
Spike gave a furious splutter and was quite overcome for the next few minutes.
"He's new," Angel said quietly, ignoring Spike's squeaks "That was the first time that he came close to getting killed. And I think he's done pretty well. Most Slayers are still in the denial stage at this point. He's accepted really quickly. You can't blame him for being a little stressed. And he's utterly exhausted."
Spike had recovered by this time. He gave Angel an impish grin.
"Fancy him do you?"
"Spike," Angel said warningly. Spike giggled.
"He's not bad looking," he said "He doesn't look like me but we've got the same eyes. And the hair is quite good."
Angel rolled his eyes.
"I don't fancy him," he said bluntly "He's only 16."
"So was Buffy when you started going out with her."
"Thank you Spike."
Spike shrugged and looked at Matt. The boy's eyes flickered open and he stared back.
"What happened?"
"You fainted," Spike said cheerfully.
"Oh."
Matt seemed quite happy to remain snuggled in Angel's arms, something that Spike gleefully pointed out later. But Matt suddenly noticed something and frowned.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To your home of course," Angel said.
"But how do you know where I live?"
The two vampires exchanged grimacing looks.
"I lurk," Angel said.
Matt seemed to accept this. To Angel's surprise (and slight embarrassment) he leaned against Angel and went back to sleep.
"Fancies you like anything..." Spike said in a sing-song voice.
Angel kicked him. Spike had to hop the rest of the way, making wildly exaggerated faces of pain. Angel gently shook Matt.
"Matt? Can we come in?"
"Huh? Sure," Matt yawned.
They used the window. Angel knew that Matt was too dozy to even notice how they'd got in and he probably wouldn't wonder in the morning. Angel noticed Spike's gestures and shook his head.
"If you don't change him, he'll wonder why even more!" Spike hissed "It's the done thing if you're the same sex as someone! If you're embarrassed because you fancy him of course..."
He had to sit down when Angel kicked his other leg. Angel slipped Matt down to his boxers and tucked him in. Matt didn't even wake up.
"We have to talk to that Watcher," Angel said "He needs working hard but when he's this tired - Spike, put that down!"
Spike looked up, Matt's diary in his hands.
"Listen to this!" he said gleefully and began to read "I can't get that weird cryptic guy out of my head. He's worse than Gennai, at least Gennai wasn't drop-dead gorgeous!"
"Spike!" Angel hissed. Spike (in his normal manner) ignored Angel completely.
"Seriously though, that guy really has something. If Istu saw him, he'd probably forsake me and take him on instead! I was dreaming about him last night - the drop-dead gorgeous cryptic guy, not Istu."
"William the Bloody, put that down this second!" Angel snarled.
Spike grinned.
"Don't you want to know what he was dreaming?"
"No!"
Spike's eyes were flickering over the page.
"Oooh!" he said "Threesome!"
Angel snatched the diary away from Spike and shoved it back under the bed where Spike had got it from.
"We are going!" he hissed.
Spike was still giggling as he bodily dragged him out of the window.
End of Part 2.